Bag filling machine



y 1934- w. D. WRIGHT 1,957,874

BAG FILLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 11, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Ra's ATTORNEY y 3, 1934- w. D. WRIGHT 1,957,874

' BAG FILLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 11, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR his ATTORNEY y 8, 1934. w. D. WRIGHT BAG FILLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 11, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR au g zz BY 7fi af/M fizy ATTORNEY lee.-

May 8, 1934. w. D. WRIGHT BAG FILLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 11, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 0. affgzt fizo'" ATTORNEY Patented May 8, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT FFE BAG FILLING MACHINE William D. Wright, Brockport, N. Y., assignor to Charles F. Robb, Jr., Webster, N. Y.

Application November 11, 1930, Serial No. 494,893

16 Claims.

arranged filling nozzle, which is introduced into an opening in an upper corner of a bag. Another object of the invention is to provide for feeding the material to the impelling device in such a manner that the material cannot become packed in the impelling device, with the result that less power is required to run the machine. Still an other object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of continuous operation. A further object of the invention is to make it possible to fill a bag while a filled bag is being removed from the machine and another empty bag fitted in its place on the machine. A still further object of the invention is to provide a means of automatically controlling the flow of material to either of two filling nozzles while closing off the flow to the other nozzle. Still another and further object of the invention is to provide a novel means of connecting and disconnecting a filling nozzle with a weighing mechanism. Another and still further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically stripping a filled bag from a filling nozzle.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described: the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same machine;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the feed line to the bag filling mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section showing the manner in which the bag is fitted to the bag filling mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the casings of the two feeding mechanisms;

Figs. '7 and 8 are perspective views of the rotary feeding elements of the two feeding mechanisms;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the manner in which the two feeding mechanisms are operated;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10-10, Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the under side of the rotary feeding member illustrated in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 12 is a plan View of the rotary feeding element shown in Fig. 8.

When bag filling machines of the type using a horizontal filling nozzle through which the ma terial is thrown by an impelling means are used in connection with commercial fertilizers, great difficulties are experienced from the packing of the material in the impelling means. This has heretofore been overcome only by using a motor of high horse-power and even then the shock on the machine on starting is injurious. Furthermore, the machine has been required to be stopped when each bag has been filled and started when another bag is placed in position on the nozzle.

According to this invention, the material is fed to the impelling member in such a manner that at no time does the material have an opportunity to pack therein and before the impelling device is stopped it may be entirely cleared of the material. Further, the stopping and starting of the impelling device for each bag fitted to the h machine is entirely eliminated and a continuous feeding action of the impelling device is obtained.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the material to be filled in the bags is contained in a hopper 1 which has a cylindrical discharge portion 2 arranged directly above the preliminary feeding device, and discharging into said device by gravity through an opening 3 in the bottom of the cylindrical discharge.

The preliminary feeding device, in this instance, comprises a casing 4 having a cylindrical chamber of small height arranged vertically, the top of this chamber serving as the bottom of the discharge portion 2. Within the chamber of the casing 4 is a rotary feeding element 5 having tangentially arranged blades 5 and mounted to turn with a vertical shaft 7. The opening 3 is situated to one side of the axis of the rotary feeding member. Above the opening 3 and within the hopper discharge 2 is an agitator 8 which is mounted on the shaft '7 to turn with the latter over the bottom of the discharge portion to move the material to the opening 3 through which it drops into the preliminary feeding mechanism.

From the preliminary feeding mechanism the material passes by gravity to the main feeding or impelling mechanism, the bottom of the easing 4 serving as the top wall of the casing 9 of the main feeding or impelling mechanism, and having an opening 10 on that side of the shaft 7 opposite that on which the inlet opening 3 is provided. This arrangement makes it impossible to fill or pack the entire casing, for as soon as the material reaches the opening 10 it drops by gravity through the opening into the casing 9. The casing 9 has also a cylindrical chamber, and in this chamber, operates a rotary impeller comprising a rectangular hub 11, a bottom disk 12 and four blades 13, each of which is at slight angle to a radius of the impeller, in this instance, fifteen degrees to the radius. The arrow Fig. 12 indicates the direction of rotation of the impeller. It will be noted that the hub forms an extended wall at the inner side of each pocket. As the pockets of the impeller are not filled with the material, the material shifts circumferentially in each pocket, so that it has momentum by the time it reaches the impelling face 13 of the impeller, and this face is disposed at such an angle that while it will throw the material, it does not interfere with the travel of the material from the impeller. The fact that the impeller pockets are not filled by the preliminary feeding means and each have an extended inner wall which permits the material to shift in the pocket before striking the impelling face of the pocket, makes it possible to avoid packing of the pocket and at the same time to throw the material a greater distance. The intake opening to the casing 9 is situated to one side of the axis of turning of the rotary impeller so that the material drops into the pockets of the rotary member, which, rotating at a high speed as compared with the rotary feeding element 5, throws or els the material outwardly by centrifugal force through the discharge opening 14 situated in the periphery of the casing 9 to and out one of the filling nozzles as will be described.

To the end that the material will not pack or corrode in the casing 9 beneath the rotary impeller, the casing has two openings 15 in its bottom, and the disk 12 has a scraper blade 16 on its under side traveling in an annular groove 16 on the face of the bottom of the casing 9 to throw the material through the openings 15.

The mechanism for operating the two feeding mechanisms comprises a drive shaft 17 having a sprocket chain connection 18 with a countershaft 19 on which a bevel pinion 20 is arranged. This bevel pinion 2O meshes with a bevel pinion 21 on a clutch member 22 which is mounted to turn loosely on the shaft. Another clutch member 23 is slidably keyed to the shaft 7 at 24 beneath the clutch member 22 permitting the weight of the clutch member 23 to carry the member 23 away from the member 22 and the latter to be engaged by the member 23 when the member 23 is moved upwardly, as will be described, so as to be driven from the shaft 19. A stop collar 25 is arranged on the shaft '7 to prevent upward end thrust of the shaft. The drive shaft 17 has a bevel pinion or gear 26 thereon meshing with a bevel gear 27 on a shaft 28 which connects with the rotary impeller 11. In this way, the driving connection between the drive shaft and the rotary impeller is continuous. whereas a breakable connection is arranged between the drive shaft and the rotary feeder 5. Further, the driving connection with the rotary impeller drives the latter at a higher speed than the rotary feeder 5 is driven by its driving connection, in this instance, four times the speed of the rotary feeder 5. The rotary impeller 11 connects with its shaft 28 by means of a pin 29 passed through such shaft and lying in a slot 30 in the under side of the disk 12. A nut 31 on the shaft 28 holds the rotary impeller to the shaft. In order to prevent too great a suction being created by the impeller a hand operated relief valve 32 which will admit to the impeller casing the desired amount of air may be provided.

With the end in view of stopping the action of the preliminary feeder without stopping the action of the rotary impeller so that the latter may be entirely cleared of all material and will be free to start with case, a means is provided for controlling the preliminary feeder by means of the breakable or clutch connection through which the preliminary feeder is driven. In this instance, a rock shaft 65 is provided having an operating lever 66 connected thereto and provided with a laterally extending yoke 67 carrying rollers 68 engaging the under side of the clutch member 23 to shift the latter into engagement with the clutch member 22 to effect the driving of the preliminary feeder and to permit the clutch member 23 to move out of engagement with the clutch member 22.

From the impeller, the material passes, under the force of the impeller, to the filling means which, in this instance, comprises two filling tubes or nozzles 33 horizontally arranged in parallel relation and opening at their under sides at 35 to discharge material downwardly into bags 36 which are formed with openings at 37 in one of their upper corners to receive the tubes so that the bags may suspend from the filling tubes during the filling. The filling tubes are mounted by l .eans of frames 34 to swing about a common axis 38. From each frame 34 an arm 39 extends forwardly and has a link 40 projected upwardly therefrom and connected to a spring 41 which tends to move the filling device upwardly. The filling tubes also connect with the discharge 14 of the impeller and to this end the said discharge leads to a coupling device 42 having two outlets each of which connects by a flexible conductor 43 with one of the filling devices. Within the coupling device is arranged a valve 44 mounted to swing about an axis 45 to open one outlet and to close the other. This valve is so controlled that as each filling device moves downwardly the valve closes the connection or passage 43 leading to such filling device and opens the connection or passage leading to the other filling device. In this instance, a gear 46 is arranged on the shaft 45 and meshes with the rack 4'7 on a swinging member 48 which has a yoked end forming two abutments 49 with one of which engages an arm 50 on one swinging member 34 to swing the valve 44 in one direction and with the other of which engages an arm 51 on the other swinging member 34 to swing the valve 44 in the other direction.

A spring 52 connects the pivot of the swinging member with the arm 53 of the valve to effect a quick shifting of the valve after it passes the center position.

Associated with each filling device is a weighing mechanism. In this instance, each weighing mechanism comprises a weight 55 adjustable along a beam or arm 56 which is pivoted at 57 to the frame of the machine and has its lowering movement limited by a yielding or resilient stop 58. The beam has a slip-off connection with the filling device comprising, in this instance, a depending arm 59 on the lever or beam 56 provided with an abutment 60 adapted to be engaged by an abutment 61 on the adjacent arm or link 40 which acts as a releasable latch connection between the filling device and the weighing means. A strap 62 on the arm 59 surrounds the link 40 to guide the latter on the arm 59 but to permit the latter to swing to carry the two abutments out of engagement when a predetermined amount of material has been fed to a bag suspended from the adjacent filling device. As a bag lowers with the Weight of the material, a link 40 pulls down on the arm 59 of the beam 56 through the abutments and 61. The arm 59 swings inwardly and the upper end of the link 41 engages the arm 59 and causes the two abutments 60 and 61 to disengage so that the weighted beam returns to its lowered position. About the same time the arm 50 or 51 engages the swinging member abutment 49 and swings the member 48 to close the flow of material to the filled bag and open the fiow to the empty bag on the other filling device. After the filled bag is removed from the filling device, the latter moves upwardly under the action of the spring 41 so that the latch 40 reengages with the weighing mechanism.

As the bag lowers with the filling device, the bottom of the bag engages a travelling surface 63, in this instance, in the form of an endless belt arranged beneath both filling devices and having its upper surface travelling in a direction longitudinally of the filling tube and toward the outer end thereof so that the conveyor strips the bag from the filling device when the bag drops on the conveyor. The conveyor may be driven from the shaft 19 by means of a chain drive 64.

From the foregoing it will be seen that material such as commercial fertilizer can be fed into bags from a horizontally arranged nozzle or filling device without any danger of the material packing in the impelling means which throws the material to and out the nozzle. This result is se cured in this instance, by not loading or filling the impeller casing at any time either during the feeding action or when the impeller is inactive. The action of the impeller is continuous so that it is not required to be stopped after each bag is filled, and the impeller is rotated after the feeding of material thereto has ceased so that it clears itself of material before it stops rotating. The preliminary feeder is also constructed so that its casing cannot be loaded or filled and as it travels at a slow speed, and merely displaces the material without being required to throw such material with force, danger of clogging is reduced to a minimum. The continuous action of the impeller with a valved controlled twin connection with two nozzles makes it possible to fill one bag on one nozzle while a filled bag on the other nozzle is removed and replaced by an empty bag. The valve is automatically controlled by the filled bags and the filled bags are automatically removed from the filling nozzles. A novel connecting means is provided between the filling nozzle and individual weighing means therefor so that the bags are weighed on the nozzles before being detached from the nozzles, the weighing means controlling the flow to the bags through such connections.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bag filling machine comprising a horizontally arranged filling nozzle, a horizontal impeller rotating on a vertical axis and connected to the nozzle for throwing material to and through said nozzle, and a rotary horizontal feeder mounted for rotation on a vertical axis eccentric to the axis of the impeller and providing a gradual feed of material to the impeller to prevent the packing of the same.

2. A bag filling machine comprising a horizontally arranged filling nozzle, a horizontal impeller rotating on a vertical axis and connected to the nozzle for throwing material to and through the nozzle, a horizontal rotary feeder for feeding material to the impeller, said feeder being located above and eccentric to and in overlapping relation with the impeller, and means for con trol ling the movable feeding means to stop the action of the latter independently of the impeller so that the latter may clear itself of the material.

3. In a bag filling machine the combination with a horizontally arranged filling nozzle, and an impeller including a casing connected to the nozzle and a rotary member mounted to turn in the casing about an upright axis, of a feeder for the impeller comprising a casing having a connection with the impeller casing dropping the material in the impeller casing by gravity to one side of the rotary member therein, and a rotary memher in the impeller feeder mounted to turn about an upright axis, the discharge from the casing being to one side of the axis of the rotary feeder member and the intake to the feeder casing being over the rotary feeder and to that side thereof opposite the side on which the discharge is arranged.

i. In a bag filling machine the combination with a horizontally arranged filling nozzle, and an impeller including a casing connected to the nozzle and a rotary member mounted to turn in the casing about an upright axis, of a feeder for the impeller comprising a casing having a connection with the impeller casing dropping the material in the impeller casing by gravity to one side of the rotary member therein, and a rotary member in the impeller feeder mounted to turn about an upright axis, the discharge from the casing being to one side of the axis of the rotary feeder membe and the intake to the feeder casing being over the rotary feeder and to that side thereof opposite the side on which the discharge is arranged, and driving means for the rotary impeller and the rotary feeder having means for driving the rotary feeder at a slower speed than the rotary impe ler.

5. In a bag filling machine the combination with a horizontally arranged filling nozzle, and an impeller including a casing connected to the nozzle and a rotary member mounted to turn in the casing about an upright axis, of a feeder for the impeller comprising a casing having a connection with the impeller casing dropping the material in the impeller casing by gravity to one side of the rotary member therein, and a rotary member in the impeller feeder mounted to turn about an upright axis, the discharge from the casing being to one side of the axis of the rotary feeder member and the intake to the feeder casing being over the rotary feeder and to that side thereof opposite the side on which the discharge is arranged, and driving means for the rotary impeller and the rotary feeder having means for stopping the action of the rotary feeder without stopping the, action of the rotary impeller, so that the latter may clear its casing after the feeding action thereto has discontinued.

6. The combination with a horizontally arranged filling nozzle, of an impeller for throwing material to and through the nozzle comprising a casing connected to the nozzle and a member rotatable in the casing about an upright axis, said casing having an inlet in its top wall on that side of the rotatable member opposite the side which connects with the nozzle, and means for producing a gradual feed of material through said opening to prevent the clogging of the impeller cas- '7. The combination with a horizontally arranged filling nozzle, of an impeller for throwing material to and through the nozzle comprising a casing connected to the nozzle and a member rotatable in the casing about an upright axis, said casing having an inlet in its top wall on that side of the rotatable member opposite the side which connects with the nozzle, and means for producing a gradual feed of material through said opening to prevent the clogging of the impeller casing, and controllable means for admitting air to the casing.

. 8. In a bag filling machine, the combination with two horizontally arranged filling nozzles, of an impeller for throwing material to and from said nozzles, and means controlled by a filled bag on one nozzle to shut off the flow to such nozzle and direct it to the other nozzle, said means permitting the nozzle having the filled bag to move downwardly while maintaining the nozzle in a horizontal position, whereby the nozzle is prevented from dipping into the bag.

9. A bag filling machine comprising a feeding mechanism for the material, two movably mounted horizontal. filling tubes to extend into a valved bag, a horizontal rotary impeller for feeding material to the tubes, valve means for controlling the flow of material to either of said filling devices from said feeding mechanism and closing off the fiow to the other device and per Initting a continuous uninterrupted flow of material from the feeding mechanism whereby packing of the material at the valve is prevented, and means controlled by the movement of the filling devices controlling said valve means.

10. A bag filling machine comprising two filling tubes, two vertically movable supports on each of which one of said tubes is supported to project horizontally therefrom to extend into a valved bag, a material feeding mechanism, valved means connecting the material feeding mechanism to the two tubes, and connection between the two supports and the valved means for effecting the operation of the latter to open one filling device to the feeding means and close the other as each feeding tube moves downw roly and permitting a continuous uninterrupted flow of material from the feeding mechanism whereby packing of the material at the valve is prevented.

11. A bag filling machine comprising a material feeding mechanism, two filling tubes, two supports mounted to swing about a common axis and each supporting one of the filling tubes in a position to project horizontally therefrom to extend into a valved bag, a coupling member connected to the feeding mechanism and having two outlets, two flexible conductors each connecting one of the outlets with one of the feeding devices, a valve arranged in said coupling member to move to one position to open one outlet and to close the other and vice versa, and means connecting said valve with the two supports to effeet the movement of the valve in one direction on the lowering of one support and in the other direction on the lowering of the other support.

12. A bag fillin machine comprising two horizontally arranged nozzles, means supporting said nozzles to permit them to move vertically independently of each other, two weighing mechanisms, a releasable connection between each nozzle and one of the weighing mechanisms, a

common impeller having connection with both nozzles, means controlling the connection of the impeller with the nozzle to close 01f the flow to one nozzle and to open the flow to the other nozzle simultaneously, and connecting means between the two nozzles and the controlling means for operating the latter as each nozzle descends and releases its connection with its weighing means.

13. A bag filling machine comprising a horizontally arranged filling device on which a bag to be filled is supported, means for supporting said filling device from one end, a stripper arranged below said filling device and movable parallel with the nozzle thereof beneath the same, and means for effecting a relative upward and downward movement between the filling device and the stripper to cause the stripper to be engaged by the bottom of a bag suspended from the filling device to move the bag horizontally and finally off the filling device, the filling device being maintained in a horizontal position to prevent it from ipping into the bag.

14. A bag filling machine comprising a horizontally arranged filling nozzle, means supporting said nozzle from one end so that the nozzle may be moved upwardly and downwardly in order that a bag may be suspended from the nozzle, and an endless belt arranged in spaced relation to the nozzle beneath the same and having its upper lap movable horizontally in the direction of the nozzie towards the free end of the latter, so that when the nozzle lowers, the bottom of the bag suspended from the nozzle will engage the upper lap of the belt to cause the belt to move the bag horizontally and finally off the filling device, the filling device being maintained in a horizontal poition during its upward and downward movement to prevent it from dipping into the bag.

15. A bag filling machine comprising a filling nozzle from which a bag may be suspended, means supporting said nozzle for upward and downward movement and for maintaining the nozzle in a horizontal position during such upward and downward movement to prevent the 4 nozzle from dipping into bag, a weighing mechanism, and a latch connection between the noz zle and the weighing mechanism for holding the nozzle in an elevated position and for releasing the nozzle when the bag attains the weight determined by the weighing mechanism.

16. A bag filling machine comprising a filling nozzle from which a bag is adapted to be suspended, means for supporting said nozzle for upward and downward movement and for maintaining the nozzle in a horizontal position during such upward and downward movement to prevent it from dipping into a bag, a weighing mechanism, a slip-off latch connection between the nozzle and the weighing mechanism for holding the nozzle in an elevated position and to release the nozzle when a predetermined weight has been attained in the bag, and a spring acting on the nozzle to return the latter and the latch connection into cooperation with the weighing mechanism after the bag has been disconnected from the nozzle.

WILLIAM D. WRIGHT. 

